Jonah & the Authority of God

I have been pondering lately about the authority of God in our lives as it is balanced with our own free wills.  Jonah is an excellent example of this.  God told him to do something (take a message to Ninevah) but Jonah went in the opposite direction.  Not good for a prophet of God, but we all have our moments of fear that lead to disobedience.

Now God could have allowed him to go and chosen someone else to fulfill his will in Ninevah, but he did not.  He DID allow Jonah his own free will and even allowed circumstances (an available ship to Tarshish) that enabled Jonah to perform his act of disobedience.  However, God was not done with Jonah. 

According to Scripture he sent a storm which upset Jonah's plan.  The storm was so intense and frightening that the heathens on board went searching among the travelers and crew to find out who had angered their god.  Eventually Jonah had to confess and asked that he be thrown overboard.  Notice that he did not repent at this point.  He could have repented, begged for God's mercy and/or even had the crew turn the ship back around.  At that point they would have done anything to appease God, so great was their terror.  However, Jonah opted to commit suicide by having himself thrown overboard rather than change his mind and obey God.

Still, God did not just allow him to get away with this, but sent a fish to swallow him and finally bring him to his knees.  Finally, Jonah truly repented and God gave him another chance to obey his initial command.  So in the end God got his way both in Ninevah and in his choice of who would carry the message to Ninevah.

Does he still do this in our lives?  Sometimes it seems that people receive revelation or instruction from God only to turn away, but I wonder if it looks like they have gotten away with something only because not enough time has passed for God to actually have his way.

This works in the opposite direction as well.  Sometimes God has promised us something and it takes a while to come about.  Often we are tempted to feel that we didn't hear from God or that somehow he does not have the strength or authority to bring about what he has promised.  We veil this doubt in our minds by suggesting that others have messed up God's plan because of their own free wills, but I challenge you (and myself) that perhaps people's free wills only delay God's plan.  Perhaps he is powerful enough that his plans are never derailed!!  In fact, I have a feeling that what feels like a delay to us is actually part of the preparation time that he has appointed for us.

I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.  I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come.  I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.  From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.  What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do.  Listen to me… I am bringing my righteousness near, it is not far away; and my salvation will not be delayed.                                 

                                                            Isaiah 46:9b-12a; 13      

Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere him. For he spoke and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.  But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. 

Psalm 33:8-11      

False Teachers - Part 2

Who Were/Are these False Teachers? 

Even though Peter and Jude were speaking to their contemporaries, their message is a warning for all of us living in the last days (the days between Jesus’ first and second comings).  In fact, Jude addresses his letter like this:  “Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ.” Jude 2.  There is no indication here that this was only to a certain group or to Christians in a certain time period.  As we study we will also see that no one person or people were mentioned by name.  It was enough to reveal the erroneous teachings.  Those who were reading would know who was being spoken of, just like we today can recognize this same type of erroneous teaching in our churches.

There are two main groups of false teachers that the Bible specifically addresses.

Those Who Were Originally Saved but Backslid

Matthew 7:21 Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!”

Just because someone starts out their ministry serving God and being an anointed teacher does not mean that he/she will continue in this manner.  Preachers and teachers must keep their relationship with Jesus intimate and must listen to his voice.  Satan loves to tempt leaders to become prideful if they are successful or to become so busy that they are just working for God instead of keeping their relationship with God at the forefront.

There are times when someone who starts out very anointed does not keep himself or herself right with God and ends up backsliding while still preaching the Word.  There is also the temptation to rely on your works of ministry for your standing with God rather than on the grace of God and the shed blood of Jesus Christ.  This underscores the importance of praying for our ministers and teachers.  If you are in the ministry, you MUST put your relationship with God first or you will fail. 

It is important to continually seek the Word ourselves to confirm what our pastors and teachers are teaching even if be believe them to be very anointed.

Those Who Were Put in Place by Satan

Matthew 13:24 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.  27 The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field?  Where then did the weeds come from?’ ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.  The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest.  At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”

Clearly Jesus states here that there are certain individuals who will be put in place by Satan to deceive people and try to choke out the Word that is being taught in God’s kingdom.  These people appear godly and, in fact, to remove them at the current time would serve to uproot some whose faith has grown around these individuals.

Regardless of whether the false teacher started out as a godly person or whether Satan has been using that person from the beginning, the result is the same: false teaching.  I won’t waste time debating which categories certain individuals fall into.  I’d much rather investigate and respond to the teaching itself and pray for the person perpetuating the falsehood.

Let’s explore what distinguishing characteristics mark these false teachers so that we can be better prepared to recognize this kind of teaching in our own time.

Next time ...  What do False Teachers teach??

** All Scripture is quoted from the NIV version of the Bible **

False Teachers

False Teachers – Jude and II Peter 2

II Peter 2:1 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you.  They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them – bringing swift destruction upon themselves.

Throughout Scripture there are warnings about false teachers and false prophets.  Looking back on false teaching throughout history, it is easy to imagine that we would never have been caught up in those teachings or would not have been deceived by those particular heresies.  However, we would be wise to recognize that even though these teachings are obviously false in hindsight, at the time they were cleverly disguised and may not have been as recognizable.  The fact that there are so many warnings against false teachings and false prophets in Scripture indicates that it is somewhat common (and very dangerous) to be deceived by them and that we should search Scripture daily ourselves along with humbly asking God to give us discernment regarding any teaching that we are exposed to.

False teaching is not typically the kind that openly mocks God or denies Christ outright.  Instead, it slips in as a Christian teaching, perhaps as a “revelation” about God’s Word.  These teachings are so tricky because they closely mimic true teachings and revelations about the Word.  However, they end up leading us astray either by taking us outright into heretical beliefs or by distracting us so that we aren’t focusing on God and “seeking first his kingdom” as we should be.  We must know the Word of God inside and out so that we can detect false teachings when they try to slip into the church.

2 Corinthians 11:13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness.  Their end will be what their actions deserve.

Both Jude and Peter (among others) addressed the issue of false teachers.  Due to the fact that they both felt it necessary to address the same issue, it appears that there was a serious problem and they deemed it important that all Christians be aware and able to fend against such ungodliness.  As we near the end of history, it is just as important if not more so that we know the Word of God in its purity and entirety so that we are able to defend ourselves against the hoard of false teaching that is springing up at the present time.

As we explore this topic, I will refer to both Jude and II Peter 2 since they are closely related and taken together provide a fuller picture of the problem. 

What is a False Teacher?

Simply put, a false teacher is someone who teaches a doctrine contrary to what the Word of God teaches.  This does not mean that anytime someone makes an error or misunderstands something about the Word, then that person is a false teacher.  Teachers and pastors are always learning just like the rest of us, and some mistakes are made due to having knowledge of God that is not yet complete.  I Corinthians 13:12 states “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.  Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”  Until we know Him fully as He knows us, there will be times when each of us makes small errors. 

When I use the term “false teacher” I am referring to an individual or group that teaches doctrines that go against the doctrine of the Bible.  Oftentimes, false teachers take one or two verses and make a doctrine out of them or (even worse) they decide what they would like to believe and look for Scripture to back it up.  The Bible is God’s revelation to us and should be taken as a whole.  Understood correctly, all of its teachings are in harmony with one another.  For that reason, it is improper and dangerous to preach a doctrine that is not supported by the whole of Scripture (or, more specifically, the Scripture that pertains to that subject).  It is also vitally important to read verses in context to understand the meaning intended.

To be Continued...

**All Scripture is quoted from the NIV version of the Bible**

Prayer

Ephesians 6:18 - And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.  With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Praying in the Spirit

We are commanded here to pray “in the Spirit” about everything.  No matter what the situation or what kinds of requests we have, we are to let the Holy Spirit guide our prayers.  We, being human, are so apt to let our emotions guide us as to how to pray when what we truly need is for God’s will to be done in our lives.  Sometimes for God’s will to be done, there will be times of suffering, but they are so worth what He accomplishes spiritually in us.  Without seeing the wonderful outcome God has planned, we usually just pray for immediate relief.  This is one reason why we must allow the Holy Spirit to help us pray.  He will help us to pray for God’s will so that God’s purposes are accomplished in our lives and in the world around us.  God will give us strength to endure any hardships that he allows in our lives to develop us spiritually.

Romans 8:26 – In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.

Jude 20 – But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.

Surrendering to God’s will in prayer also builds our faith.  It is ironic that letting go brings such peace, but trusting God fully allows him to give his peace to us.  This is so much better than our holding on to a peace based upon our circumstances, which are subject to change at a moment’s notice. 

Kinds of prayers

This is a short list of the types of prayers that we pray on a regular basis.  If there are any that I missed, please let me know.

Praise

Giving thanks to God for what he has done or is doing.  This is also a great way to build yourself up in the faith.  In particular, praising God for what he has promised to do but has yet to be seen in your life shows him your trust and reminds you of just how awesome and powerful God is.  Once he speaks the word, it is done.

Worship and Adoration 

Gives God glory for who he is.  Let’s face it: God is amazing!  He created our universe with a word.  He continues to give us life, he heals us, he sustains us.  He loves us enough that each of us is personally important to him.  He is accomplishing his purposes throughout the history of man and prophecies written thousands of years ago are still being fulfilled today.  To top it off, this great God died so that we can live in his presence forever.

Confession

Those who are saved will not live in sin.  I John 3:6 “No one who lives in him keeps on sinning.  No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.” However, as humans we are prone to error and will sometimes sin unintentionally or in a moment of weakness.  We should always confess our sins to the Lord and allow him to cleanse us from that sin by his blood shed on Calvary.  I John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

Petitions

Asks God to fulfill our needs (and sometimes our wants), both physical and spiritual.  God wants to supply our needs, but he also wants us to ask him to do it.  We must be willing to submit to his timing, though.  Sometimes what we think is a need is really a want so we must ask with an openness for God to change our requests or even deny them if they are not the best that He has for us.

Intercession

Asks God to meet the needs of others, both physical and spiritual.  This is incredibly important, especially if the person we are interceding for is unsaved. They most likely aren’t praying for themselves.  Sometimes I hear people talk about the gift of intercession as if only some Christians are required to intercede.  It is very true that some individuals are called to intercede on a major level – in fact, that is sometimes a person’s entire ministry.  However, all Christians are to be interceding for others.  We live in a lost world.  Our family members and co-workers don’t know Christ and are destined to eternal suffering.  We have no excuse not to be praying for them on a regular basis, crying out to God for their souls.  We should keep in mind that their eternal salvation is much more important than their temporary suffering and so it is appropriate to ask God to allow whatever situations in their lives are necessary to bring them to salvation through Christ.

Receptive Listening

Prayer is to be a two-way conversation.  Listening and receiving from God is a vital part of prayer.  How else will we know what to do in any specific situation?  I know many Christians who have a very difficult time hearing specific instructions from God.  If that is the case for you, all is not lost.  God can help you learn to hear from him clearly.

First, in order to be able to most clearly hear from God, you must be filled with the Holy Spirit.  Ephesians 5:18 commands us to be filled with the Spirit.  In today’s church, being filled (or baptized) with the Holy Spirit is often treated as an “extra” or even as something sort of weird but in Bible times it was considered the next step after salvation.  It is the Spirit that searches the mind of Christ and can reveal his will to us.  Think of it as satellite reception as opposed to a “rabbit ears” antenna. 

Note:  I am NOT claiming that people don’t receive the Holy Spirit when they get saved.  In fact, Scripture points to the fact that we DO receive the Holy Spirit at the time of salvation (See John 3:5-6, John 20:22).  However, in order to have the fullness of what Christ intended us to have, we must also receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit as the disciples did in the upper room and as Christians did throughout the book of Acts (Acts 2:38, Acts 8:14-17).  It wasn’t until they received this filling that they truly had power to be the dynamite Christians that God intended them to be.  It’s the same way today.  Being Spirit-filled makes it easier to hear from him and obey him and to minister to others in his name.  However, we must take care to remain filled with the Spirit or we will become just as dry and ineffectual (and hard of hearing) as we were before.

Secondly, even being filled with the Holy Spirit does not insure that we will perfectly hear God’s instructions every time.  We are human and can misunderstand and the devil takes great delight in trying to confuse us.  Hearing from God actually takes practice.  Just as sheep learn to recognize their shepherd’s voice, we learn how to recognize God’s voice.  To do this, we start by checking anything we think we are hearing from him against the Word of God.  God will not contradict what he has already told us in Scripture.  Once we feel that God is leading us in a certain direction (and it is in tune with Biblical standards) we step out and act on that.  If we are mistaken God is so gracious and gentle to guide us back to the right path.  He usually does this through circumstances.  After some trial and error it becomes much easier to discern what is God’s voice and what is our own emotions or our enemy trying to confuse us.

**Warning:  If you have unconfessed sin in your life or you have not obeyed God in something he has already told you to do, you need to get that taken care of in order to be able to receive more guidance from him.**

Occasions for Prayer 

When should we pray?  The short answer is always.  However, for practical reasons we aren’t praying every second of the day and I don’t think that the Bible is commanding us to do so.  Instead, we are to keep ourselves in an attitude of prayer and be ready to pray at a moment’s notice.  We should have set times that we spend time with God as a foundation for a prayer-filled life.  We should consult him when we have decisions to make and when we are in need or when others are in need.  We should pray when we are together with other Christians and, of course, when we are alone.  We should also pray when we come into temptation.  Sometimes you may just feel like taking a few minutes to talk to God – DO IT!!!  Prayer doesn’t have to be a formal, solemn, thing, but is talking and listening to our heavenly Father.

Prayer is unique in that it is not only a weapon against our enemy but it is also a battlefield where we and God fight together against a common enemy.  The devil will fight us the hardest when we go to pray because that is where the victory is won!

We need to stay on the alert because of our Enemy and we need to keep praying for all the saints.  God gives us certain people in our lives that we are to pray for regularly.  However we should also be praying for saints around the world, particularly those who are persecuted and in special need of God’s presence and care.

Ephesians 6:19 Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains.  Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

Praying for Our Ministers

In verses 19 and 20 Paul requests specific prayer for him so that he would be able to fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel.  Our pastors, teachers and other leaders are special objects of the enemy’s attention and it is our duty and privilege to lift them to God in prayer.  Sometimes our human response is to criticize our leaders or to wonder why they’re not doing a better job or why our particular congregation isn’t experiencing revival.  The better response to things not going the way they should is to pray for our leaders.  As we pray, God will move in their lives, draw them closer to him and will be able to prompt them to preach more fearlessly.  Preaching the Word of God in its undiluted power is a scary thing in this day of popular opinion and voting preachers out of the pulpit.  However, when a pastor does preach like this and the people submit to the conviction it brings and repent of their sins, revival can start.  Remember, the more powerful and anointed a pastor or teacher is, the more viciously Satan will attack him or her.  They are at the frontlines of the battle.  We need to be daily lifting up our leaders and their families to God to ask for his protection and strength.

Ephesians 6:21 Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. 22 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you. 23 Peace to the brothers, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.

Lord, let me love you with an undying love that is willing to sacrifice my own desires to yours and that gives you my life as a gift because of who You Are.

**All Scripture is quoted from the NIV version of the Bible.**

Armor of God - Part 2

Ephesians 6:14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Belt of truth

It is impossible to take a stand against the enemy if you are not sure of the truth yourself.  Doubt is one of the greatest tools that Satan uses against us to incapacitate us.  Just think – if you’re spending your time trying to figure out whether you can or should trust God, you won’t be doing anything to further the kingdom of God.  In addition, if you don’t trust God about what he tells you for your life you won’t take the steps of obedience needed to bring about what he has promised.  Since the truth is found in the Bible, it is imperative that we continually read and study to become familiar with it.

Breastplate of righteousness

The breastplate is a piece of armor that extended from the shoulders to the thighs so its protection was quite extensive.  All the vital organs were protected by the breastplate.  Likewise, in the spiritual realm, we leave ourselves vulnerable if we aren’t protected by living righteously.   There is no room for compromise as the very “vitals” of your spiritual life are at stake.  I frequently see Christians acting as if they can compromise a little here and there in order to make themselves seem more normal to the world.  This is incredibly dangerous and leads to spiritual suicide.  Remember what God said through James – “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God?  Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” James 4:4

Readiness that comes from the gospel of peace

When God truly changes someone’s heart by the power of the gospel and the salvation they receive, they desire to share that with others.  The gift they’ve received in Christ compels them to want to share it.  There is no way to be armed as a Christian soldier without knowing and believing the gospel yourself.  So it is our responsibility to be well armed in this area by knowing the message that is found in the Word of God.  We won’t have anything to share with others if we don’t receive the gospel ourselves.

The gospel of peace is a gospel of peace with God.  This results in peace with others who are also right with God, but causes division between Christians and the world.  Those who are preaching peace through tolerance and acceptance of other viewpoints as additional ways to God are not preaching the gospel of peace spoken of here.  Instead they are preaching "peace as the world gives" which is peace dependant on circumstances which we ourselves create.  This "peace" is easily disrupted if even one person does not go along with the program.

Shield of Faith 

The shield is an obvious necessity.  Here is how Barnes describes the shields of Biblical times. “The shield was usually made of light wood, or a rim of brass, and covered with several folds or thicknesses of stout hide, which was preserved by frequent anointing. It was held by the left arm, and was secured by straps, through which the arm passed… The outer surface of the shield was made more or less rounding from the centre to the edge, and was polished smooth, or anointed with oil, so that arrows or darts would glance off, or rebound.”

The fact that really jumps out at me is that the hides on the shield were preserved by frequent anointing.  How applicable that is to us spiritually!  We are not able to keep the faith if we do not go to God to be frequently anointed with the Holy Spirit.  Many times, I find myself expecting to have a strong unwavering faith, only to find that I am beginning to worry and not trust God as much.  Upon closer inspection, I realize that I haven’t spent enough time in God’s presence to be properly equipped.  Unfortunately, I can’t just keep a schedule of prayer and Bible reading and expect that my faith will remain on an even keel.  If I am weaker spiritually, physically, or emotionally I may need a lot more time in prayer and in the Word than normal.  God is teaching me not to be prideful about this, but to spend as much time as necessary even if it’s more than I had to last week or more than others seem to need.  If I don’t, those “fiery darts” or “flaming arrows” will not glance off, but may stick around and do some damage to me spiritually.

In the days of heated battle, my “shield” may need to be oiled more frequently than in somewhat peaceful times.

Helmet of Salvation

The thing that protects our heads, or our minds, is our hope of salvation.  What is the reason that soldiers are willing to risk their lives to go into battle?  Isn’t it the hope of securing safety for their country?  In the physical world, the soldier may lose his life defending the lives of others and there is no guarantee that his side will win the battle.

Not so with us spiritually!  We have been guaranteed that our side will win because Jesus has already secured our victory through his death on the cross and subsequent resurrection.  As Christian soldiers our job is to advance Christ’s kingdom and to prevent the enemy from gaining ground in our own lives.  However, we have assurance that our side has won the battle.  The only way we as individuals can lose is by giving up and, in effect, joining the other side.  In this spiritual realm, there is no neutral position and there are no civilians.  You are fighting for one side or the other.  The consequences of your decision are eternal!

Sword of the Spirit

The Word of God is our offensive weapon and it is mighty and powerful.  “For the Word of God is living and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12.  Not only is the Word of God effective at revealing sin in our own hearts, but it is protection against our enemy.  Even Jesus used the Word of God to resist temptation (see Matthew 4) and we must use him as our example.

Reading of Jesus’ resistance of temptation, it is obvious that he didn’t take the time to look up scriptures or do a Bible study once temptation was upon him.  Instead, he knew the Word so well that he was able to quote verses at the time of his need.  We are to do that as well.  There are two ways to command such a knowledge of Scripture.  One is by studying the Word regularly so we are familiar with it.  The second is by memorizing Scriptures.  Over the past few years I have memorized hundreds of verses.  However, Satan has many times tried to discourage me because I can’t just rattle off a list of the verses I know complete with references.  I suppose that would just be showing off anyway.  I have recently been encouraged by realizing that the Scripture is still there – When I come upon temptation or when someone has a question about God’s Word, the Holy Spirit brings to my memory the relevant verse or verses.  Knowing the Word like this has also helped me to conceptualize what God is trying to say and it helps me to have a more balanced view of what God is telling us.  The more of the Word you know, the less likely that your theology will become lopsided by becoming based on only one verse or passage.

Wielding the Sword

Combining memory and study has been very effective in my life because I know the Scripture well enough to be able to really ponder and contemplate its meaning (even without a Bible right in front of me) and I can more easily locate key Scriptures because I have become very familiar with their location through Bible study.  I know other Christians who have had the same experience.  As “soldiers” it is our responsibility to familiarize ourselves with our weapons and know how to use them.

If you are reading this and are not memorizing or studying as I have described, don’t become discouraged.  Instead, be prompted to start!  Set aside time to study the Word of God and focus on memorizing a verse at a time.  If you spend even a few minutes a day memorizing, you will be surprised at how quickly your repertoire increases.  I started by writing down and memorizing verses that were meaningful to me when I was reading my Bible.  It is much more effective to memorize Scriptures that are an encouragement to you personally.  If you do a Google search with the words “How to memorize Scripture” you will come up with hundreds of thousands of sites.  Certainly there is one method in there that will suit your temperament and abilities.  The important thing is to start!!!

** All Scripture is quoted from the NIV version. **